Films & Schedules
- THE FIRST BEAUTIFUL THING

THE FIRST BEAUTIFUL THING

DIRECTOR: Paolo Virzì - ITALY

Mixing warm comedy and nostalgic drama, Virzì tells the story of a misanthropic son named Bruno returning to his hometown to see his dying mother. When Bruno was eight, his sister Anna was roped into a beauty contest in their hometown of Liverno and, as a great beauty, easily won. His father, enraged by the leering attention she attracted, abandoned the family, setting in motion a life that led his spirited mother to do whatever was necessary to support Bruno and Anna. Always embarrassed by her ways, Bruno found a life as far away from Liverno as possible. When he gets the news that his mother is sick, the reluctant trip home triggers bittersweet memories and the belated understanding of the spirit of a mother he always loved yet despised. (122 mins.)

Selected Filmography: Living It Up (94).

This year’s Italian submission for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar.

Sponsored by the Italian Trade Commission and the Italian Film Commission.